BRITISH champion and World Cup star Joe Screen has agreed a deal to ride for Belle Vue next season - even though he refuses to shake hands on the deal with new promoter Ian Thomas!

BRITISH champion and World Cup star Joe Screen has agreed a deal to ride for Belle Vue next season - even though he refuses to shake hands on the deal with new promoter Ian Thomas!

Warrington-based Screen celebrated his 32nd birthday on Saturday by confirming that he will continue to ride for the Aces on loan from his parent club, Eastbourne.

He said: "I'm very happy to have done a deal. I wanted to stay at Belle Vue and I wanted it sorting out quickly.

"It took only two phone calls with Ian in the space of an hour to get everything done. I know from riding in his ice speedway meetings at Telford that he's good to deal with but I won't be shaking hands with him.

"He's a magician as well and once gave me a shock when we shook hands and he was holding an electric flasher. I've given him a wide berth ever since."

Screen was in the Belle Vue side as a precocious teenage talent when speedway opened at Kirkmanshulme Lane in 1989 and hopes to play his part in restoring the club to the heights after some troubled years.

He added: "Belle Vue has not been what it could have been recently and I hope to help the club get that old sparkle back."

"There were a lot of people here in 1989 that I don't see now and the new era under Tony Mole and Ian Thomas might bring them back."

Thomas said: "We tried to buy Joe's contract from Eastbourne because we are a promotion who prefer to use our own assets. But they didn't want to.

"I know Joe is a highly experienced rider but I feel there is still room for him to improve.

"He goes back a long way with Belle Vue and I'm sure he's got red, white and black blood, despite the time he has spent with other clubs."